Article of furniture



' E. C. LORENTZEN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Oct. 28, 1952 Filed April 10,1950 fliimmmw Oct. 28, 1952 E. c. LORENTZEN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE FiledApril 10 1950 2 SHEETS SHEET 2 /H//// r r M 3 a a fl a E J 7 a 3 Mm w Ia F i F 4 n j a; @1 m w Z m a H M 1& v x l l lw hkhuul lfi' 2 n 0Patented Oct. 28, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE OF FURNITUREEdward C. Lorentzen, Keokuk, Iowa Application April 10, 1950, Serial No.154,922

g 2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a newv article of furniture and moreparticularly to such an article designed to serve the purpose of adresser, suitcase storage place, writing table, and typewriter table orthe like in crowded living and sleeping quarters.

The conservation of space in living and sleeping quarters is animportant factor not only in homes but especially in hotel rooms and thelike. In the latter, certain items of furniture are almost a necessityin order to attract and accommodate the guests. Such items in additionto the bed usually include, a dresser, a writing desk and a small benchor the like onwhich to-place a suitcase or valise. Consequently, becausethe average hotel accommodations are not spacious, the necessaryarticles of furniture generally found therein usually tend to make theroom more crowded and cramped and therefore, obviously, less attractiveand inviting.

With these problems in mind it is an object of my invention to provide asingle article of furniture that is designed to receive a suitcase,valise or the like and to hold it for storage or for using the contentsthereof, to have drawer storage compartments, and to provide a pluralityof slidable leaves capable of being used as a writing desk, and atypewriter support or the like. r

A further object of this invention is to provide an article of furnitureof the above type wherein the slidable leaves are capable of beinghoused Within the framework of this article when not in use and when inoperable position are held by suitable guide panels and stop memberswhereby they are capable of supporting a typewriter or the like and cannot be completely withdrawn from the supporting framework.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an article offurniture having the characteristics above described that is refined inappearance, economical in manufacture, and designed especially toconserve space in limited sleeping and living quarters. V

These and other objects will be (apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combinationof the-various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my invention with the broken linesindicating the open position of the various drawers and supportingleaves,

Figs. 1 and 2 my invention embodies generally the shape of an ordinaryflat top dresser frame having the sides l0 and II and back [2, a flattop 13 and a front open portion between the front corner members 14 and[5. Between the corners l4 and I5 and secured thereto are therespective, spaced apart horizontal panel members l5, l1

and I8. As shown in Fig. 1 the panels l6 and I! extend between the upperportions of the corner members and the panel I 8 is arranged between thelower portions thereof. The numeral 19 designates a horizontal shelfsupporting ledge suitably secured to the inside of the back l2 at avertical point higher than the top of the lower panel. 18. 'Arectangular shelf member 20 is arranged within the dresser frame so thatone end is supported by the ledge I9 and the opposite end is secured tothe inside of the lower panel l8 at the bottom thereof in any suitablemanner. Thus, arranged, this shelf 20 is slanted downwardly from theback l2 to thepanel l8 and is designed more particularly for supportingasuitcase, valise or the like. When used for this purpose, the insideofthe panel [8 between the top thereof and the top of the shelf 20 servesas a stop means for preventing any forwardly sliding of the suitcasewhile on the tilted shelf 28.

The numerals 2| and 22 respectively designate two parallel verticallyspaced apart guide panels that extendbetween the back l2 and panel I!and are secured thereto at a point substantially midway between theframe sides Ill and II as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Between the endportions on each end of the guide panels 2| and 22 there. istransversely secured a block member 23 that serves tov strengthen andreinforce these by broken lines in Fig. 2. The numeral 34 desis nates apair of like elongated bar membersthat are respectively used as guidebars and supports for the leaves 21 as follows: For.-each.leaf27 one ofthe bars 34 extends perpendicularly from.

the inside of the front member 30 along the underside of the supportingsurface 28 and out? wardly therefrom as shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

Each bar is suitably secured to the respective leaf and as shown in Fig.2 one end ofeach bar engages the inside of the front member 30 and oneend of the reinforcing bar 32. In this respect it is pointed out thatthe space between the ends of the bars 32 and 33 is approximately thesame as the combined cross-sectional width of the two bars 34 andtheba-r 24. As shown in l and 2 each of the leaves 21 constructed asdescribed is mounted through a suitable opening in the respective sidesl and I! so that the free ends of the elongated bars 34 extend betweenand beyond the panels 2| and22 on oppcsite sides of the center bar 24.In this position one bar 4 is slidable between and guided by the bar 24and guide and the other bar 34 is similarly arranged between the otherside of the bar 24 and the guide 26. A stop member 35 on the bottom freeend portion of each bar 34 engages the side of the panel 22 at times tolimit their travel in one direction so the leaf cannot be accidentallypulled free of the dresser frame. The guides 25 and 26 and bar 24restrict any lateral movement of the bars 34 and the panels 2| and 22serve the same purpose against vertical movement thereof. As furthershown in Fig. 2 the respective spaces between the secured end of thebars 34 and the reinforcing bars 33 serve to accommodate the outsideend.

portions of the bar 24 when the leaves 21 are in closed position so thatthe front members 30 can be closed flush with the respective sides l0and H.

Mounted in the upper portion of this dresser. frame and designed toslide outwardly to the front thereof are the drawers 36 and 31 and theflat leaf 38. As shown in Fig. 1, the drawer 31 extends across theentire front of the dresser between the corners I4 and I5 and issuitably mounted between the panels l6 and I1. drawer 36 is smaller indepth and width thanthe drawer 36 and is slidable through an opening inthe panel [6 and arranged therein in any suitable manner. The leaf 38is. slidably mounted through the upper portion of the panel. l6. so thatthe relative. positions of the drawers 36 and 31 and leaf 38 are asillustratedin Fig. 1.

In actual use, this utility dresser is ideal for use in hotel rooms andthe like because by reason of its many uses it eliminates the need. forseparate pieces of furniture and thereby conserves valuable space.Hotel. guests as a rule are transients and a considerable amount ofbusiness done by hotels involve one and two night stopovers; On suchoccasions, the guest The.

will not completely unpack his suitcase and yet he desires manyconveniences such as drawer space, easy access to his suitcase, writingtable and so forth. These are items of considerable expense which hasbeen materially reduced by the use of my invention.

The drawers 36 and 31 in the upper portion of this dresser provideadequate and convenient drawer space for such things as a hotel guestshould wish to unpack for a; short stay. The pullout leaf 38 is alsolocated high enough from the floor to provide a suitable writing surfacewhen needed.

The leaves 21 are located at points just below the'level of the drawer36 and have special utility forrsuppOrting suitcases or valises whenthey are first carried into the room. When this is done they-are off thefloor and in a convenient place: to. unpack whatever is desired.Afterwards, the suitcase cansbe placed on the tilted shelf 20 which byits construction permits the case to; be opened if necessary withoutremoving it. The leaves 21 are also positioned at a suitable heightforuse as-typewriter tables and for this purpose both the usual dressertop and writing table are too high to be-so used without causingdiscomfort and unnecessary fatigue. Thus; it is apparent that thisarticle of furniture combines uses and has utility that could otherwisebe obtained only by using'several different pieces that would occupyvaluable space.

Some. changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of myarticle, of furniture without. departing from the real spirit andpurpose of'my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims,any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents whichmay be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In an article of furniture, a frame having two vertical. spaced apartsides, a vertical back securedto correspondingends of said sides, a flattop secured to -the.top edges of said sides and back and an open. front,a pair of horizontal panel members disposed. in close vertical spacedrelationship extending across the upper portion of saidopenfrontandsecured to said frame sides, a third panel member similarly arrangedacross the lower portion of said open front, a plurality of drawerssuitably slidably mounted in the upper portion. of said frame, a flatleaf member similarly mounted as said drawers, a shelf member mountedwithinthe lower portion of said frame so that its forwardly edge islower than its rearwardly edge, a pair of like parallel verticallyspaced apart guide panels extending between said back and the lowervfrontv panel of said first men tioned panels and secured thereto at apoint midway betweensaid sides, an elongated guide bar extendingtransversely between said; guide panels at their longitudinal center andhaving its respective ends secured to said frame sides, a pair of likeguide members arranged transversely between said guide panels andrespectively secured therein. on opposite sides and spaced from saiduide bar, a pair of like pull-out leaves, each comprising, a fiatsupporting surface, side members and an upri ht front member providedwith a hand grip, an elongated guide and support bar extendingperpendicularly from the inside of said front member on said pull-out.leaf along the underside of said. leaf and outwardly therefrom andsecured thereon; said pull-out leaves constructed and, arranged to beoppositely disposed on said frame-sides and slidable through suitableopenings therein in such a manner that each of said elongated guide andsupport bars is slidable on opposite sides of said elongated guide barbetween said bar and said respective guide members so that said guidemembers and elongated guide bar limit the lateral movement of saidelongated guide and support bars and said guide panels limit thevertical movement thereof, and stop members on each free end of eachelongated guide and support bar to limit their horizontal movement inone direction.

2. In an article of furniture, a frame having two vertical spaced apartsides, a vertical back secured to corresponding ends of said sides, aflat top secured to, the top edges of said sides and back and an openfront, a pair of horizontal panel members disposed in close verticalspaced relationship extending across the upper portion of said openfront and secured to said frame sides, a third panel member similarlyarranged across the lower portion of said open front, a plurality ofdrawers suitably slidably mounted in the upper portion of said frame, aflat leaf member similarly mounted as said drawers, a shelf membermounted within the lower portion of said frame so that its forwardlyedge is lower than its rearwardly edge, a pair of like parallelvertically at their longitudinal center and having its resupportingsurface provided with a hand grip, an elongated guide and support barextending perpendicularly from the front edge of each pullout leaf alongthe underside thereof and outwardly therefrom and secured thereon; saidpullout leaves constructed and arranged to beoppositely disposed on saidframe sides and slidable through suitable openings therein in such amanner that each of said elongated guide and support bars is slidable onopposite sides of said elongated guide bar, so that said elongated guidebar limits the lateral movement of each of said elongated guide andsupport bars in one direction and said guide panels limit the verticalmovement thereof, stop members on each free end of each elongated guideand support bar, and one of said guide panels engageable by each of saidstop members to limit the horizontal movement of said elongated supportand guide bars in one direction.

EDWARD C. LORENTZEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 562,727 Hooper June 23, 18962,492,912 Womack Dec. 27, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date495,018 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1948

